With $70,000 at stake, the Challenge is set to ignite the imagination and creativity of more than just the usual suspects.

Australia’s Chief Scientist, Professor Ian Chubb, is one member of the distinguished judging panel and is anticipating a wide range of entries.  

“Australia has a strong record of innovation, and it’s important that there are opportunities like this one to drive some of our best ideas to commercialisation,” Professor Chubb said.

There are several professional categories, including agriculture, environment, health, minerals and energy, manufacturing, ICT and education, as well as a Backyard Innovation prize open to the general public.

“Recognising innovation like this is critical in encouraging Australians to think big when it comes to finding solutions for the major challenges that Australia has to deal with,” Professor Chubb said.

“Things such as an ageing population, food and water security, energy sources and a changing climate,” he said.

“Just doing more of what we do now will not be the answer. As a country, we need innovation and ideas, and we need everyone to be thinking about how we can change.” 

To find out about the Challenge, the categories and how to enter, visit: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/innovationchallenge

The Challenge is sponsored by The Australian, Shell and the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science and Research. Entries close September 28.

At 14:22 on Monday 23^rd November 2009, the first clear evidence of a collision of particles was recorded from each of the two counter-rotating beams of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, or CERN as it is known near Geneva, Switzerland.

An image of an event in which a microscopic-black-hole was produced in the collision of two protons in a computer generated image of the ATLAS detector. Image provided by www.cern.ch

Following weeks of preparation, the international team of CERN scientists watched on as recent and rapid progress in the testing of the new accelerator brought to fruition success from the revolutionary international project.

“Arriving here at CERN from Melbourne at mid-day Monday, the feeling of anticipation was palpable,” Professor Geoffrey N. Taylor, from the University of Melbourne’s School of Physics said.

Professor Taylor recalled how physicists assembled at the time, ‘cheered wildly’ as depictions of the particle collision were projected onto the wall of the ATLAS control room.

This event signals the completion of the development phase of the ATLAS experiment to which Australia’s commitment has been $700m, led for the past 20 years by Professor Taylor.

Although much work remains to be done on this experiment, scientists believe this achievement has proven the promised potential and justification of the largest scientific experiment ever built.

Both the University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney are foundation institutes within the ATLAS collaboration. This results in Australian science having an excellent participatory role in a project, which involves 10,000 scientists from over 100 countries, that is hoped will unravel some of science’s longest-running mysteries of the universe.

For more information, please visit: www.cern.ch or www.lhc.ac.uk

The Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (PMSEIC) was established under the former Government in 1997 as the Government’s principal source of independent advice on issues in science, engineering and innovation and relevant aspects of education and training.  The precursor to PMSEIC was the Prime Minister’s Science Council established by the Hawke Labor Government in 1989.  This was then followed in 1992 by the Prime Minister’s Science and Engineering Council.

Given the appointment of a new Chief Scientist in 2011, the Government took the opportunity to consider the arrangements for the future conduct of PMSEIC.  The revised arrangements, announced on 20 January 2012, aim to ensure that PMSEIC remains relevant and able to maintain the best connection between scientific advice and policy. 

New membership structure

The new structure will:

• Make membership more streamlined.
• Meetings will be more regular at three times a year.
• The work program will include short term and long-term projects requiring disinterested scientific advice to government.

The new arrangements will ensure that the work program is more relevant to the needs of government, especially when considering longer-term policy outcomes.

Short-term projects

The Chief Scientist will draw on expert advice to provide further scientific advice to government on an immediate or short-term policy response. The relevant Minister will assist in an advisory role. The Chief Scientist would normally report back to PMSEIC within the next meeting cycle.

Long-term projects

The Chief Scientist will commission the Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACoLA) to undertake in-depth, interdisciplinary research and produce a report on long-term issues requiring further research and advice. The relevant Minister will provide advice and the Chief Scientist will report back within 12 months.

Please visit the PMSEIC website to find further information including who the current members are, as well as reports and presentations that have been produced by the Council.